[320]. Ibid.
[321]. MSS. of Father Léonard in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. Quoted by Morel Fatio in ‘Mémoires de la Cour d’Espagne.’
[322]. This was Susanne Duperroy, to whom Marie Louise left 3,000 doubloons in her will. Mme. Quantin herself received a legacy of 4,000 from the Queen.
[323]. ‘Doc. Ined.,’ lxxix.
[324]. The letter is in the Archives of the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, Paris, vol. 71. It has been transcribed by M. Morel Fatio.
[325]. ‘Recueil des Instructions aux Ambassadeurs Français,’ Paris, 1894, and ‘Correspondance de Rebenac, Archives du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères.’
[326]. The tragic end of the Queen so distressed the French ambassador Rebenac that for a time he lost his reason after attending the funeral ceremony. In his subsequent correspondence with the King of France he made no secret of his belief that she had been murdered. The Duchess of Orleans, the Queen’s stepmother, thus refers to Rebenac’s statements in her correspondence: ‘Rebenac’s feelings have done no wrong to our young Queen of Spain. It is the sharp-nosed Count of Mansfeldt who poisoned her.’ De Torcy, in his ‘Mémoires,’ says: ‘The Count of Mansfeldt and Count Oropesa are both suspected of having been the authors of Marie Louise’s death, and take little care to exonerate themselves. The Marquis de Louville, in his ‘Mémoires,’ also distinctly states that the Queen was poisoned, and several other contemporary French authorities are no less certain.
[327]. The jewels taken by Count Benavente from Charles was valued at 180,000 crowns, and Mariana’s gift to her daughter-in-law 30,000.
[328]. Stanhope Correspondence in Lord Mahon’s ‘Spain under Charles II.‘
[329]. ‘Reinas Catolicas,’ Father Florez.